1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrically-adjustable piece of furniture, such as a table, armchair or bed.
2. The Prior Art
For the sake of convenience, the explanation of the invention departs in height adjustable tables driven by an electric motor, but it is emphasized that the invention exists for any of the types of furniture such as tables, armchairs and beds. Height adjustable tables, equipped with actuators or lifting columns driven by electric motors, can be adjusted via a control panel with pushbuttons. Design and mounting of the control panel has proven not to be unproblematic as it must be easy to operate, and may, on the other hand, not be positioned where it is exposed to damage. A position where it protrudes from the table top is unsuitable as it is exposed to damage both during everyday use as well as during storage, shipping and moving. Such control panels are for instance known from DE 298 18 567 to Vibradorm GmbH and WO 03/093619 to Linak A/S, where the latter, however, has the advantage that the adjustment is continuously variable and yields before pushes and thrusts. A solution where the operation is exclusively done via PC has proven not to be optimum in practice. Typically a separate control panel is desired, so that the table can be operated independent of the PC. A positioning of the control panel on the table top, whether it is secured to or inlayed in the top side of the table top, has turned out also to have its disadvantages. From EP 1 470 766 A1 to Walter Koch (LogicData) is known a control panel with touch keys in a U-shaped housing placed over the edge of the table top and having a key both in the part of the housing on the top side of the table top and on the part under this. The price pressure on height adjustable tables causes the solution to be simple and functional, but may simultaneously convey to a design characteristic to the table, alternatively be completely neutral.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple, user-friendly and easy-to-mount control panel.